What is Love?
by Taylor Robinson
Summary: Artemis Fowl, his loyal bodyguard and his mother are trapped with a mystery girl in a collapsed theatre. Realtionships develop an the new friend is taken along for the ride up to the Artic Circle.  set in between the first and second book
1. Chapter 1

Everyone was staring aptly at the stage as the operatic soprano held a high C. Besides the large, muscular bodyguard in the front row of the elevated seating, using the binoculars instead to search for suspicious persons in the area. And occasionally sneak a close up of the young lady's chest who was sitting a few rows in front of the platform. Then the sky started falling, or rather the ceiling. The blue and white painted stones began to crumble and crash around the audience's ears. People ran and screamed, some almost as high as the performer. Lights short circuited and the thunderous thud of falling boulders stunned many people. The same young lady was in such a state.

Everyone around her had jumped up and away from their seats, but she had only made it to up before her panic took over. Just as an unintentional murder weapon was in line with her body, a fishing line thin grappling hook snagged on her dress and she was pulled to safety as her hero pressed the recall button. She flew through the air and her momentum carried her into the savior, catapulting them both back, just in time to land under a row of seats and avoid the newest falling obstacle.

Ragged coughing emitted from nearly everyone's mouth. That is, everyone who wasn't crushed.

Beneath the red velvet seats, two people were doing the same. One, the elder, was managing to issue rapid advice as well. While removing evidence of non-human technology as well.

"Are you okay?" he calmly asked our main character.

"I think so," she replied between coughs.

"Take off your sweater and breath through the inside to avoid inhaling any more dust." She hurried to comply, and in the cramped space accidently hit her companion a few times. They lay side by side, him tilted slightly on top of her and one of his powerful arms still wrapped around her. He suffered a coughing fit and pulled it back. Freeing her, except for the stone and plaster pile on all sides of her.

"Artemis," he called out, she attempted to voice a question but he pressed a large finger to her lips, silencing her.

"Artemis!" he tried again, more desperate. In his moment of weakness that he spent saving the attractive young woman who sat in front of him, he lost track of his charge.

"I am located a few feet to your right, old friend," his eerie voice responded, shaken but alive.

"Are you and your mother safe?"

"I believe that is the case, though she has yet to speak so I may be mistaken." Confusion and worry clouded the girl's brain. Who is this man who saved me? And who is he talking to? And if someone hasn't spoken, wouldn't that be a problem? But she didn't voice them for fear that the muscular rescuer would become aggravated.

"Alright, I'm going to try and find a way through to you," he called out as he shifted and grabbed a flashlight from his belt.

"Wait, don't do that," she ordered as he pawed at the rubble.

"Why not?"

"You can't shift the debris, it could collapse the whole thing!"

"Trust me, i know what i'm doing," he said, resuming his dangerous activity.

"Look, whoever you were talking to is safe, but who knows what you could displace by moving a low level around, your movements could cause his death." He stopped for a moment longer than before, considering this, but then began again.

"I know what I'm doing," he repeated. Shortly, and to her great surprise, a tunnel was dug through to the mystery converser.

"You shouldn't go through there," she warned him.

"Well, i am. You can come with me, or stay here alone, it's your choice." weighing her odds of survival without a group and in the small, most likely unstable cranny, she followed him through.

"Wait here," he said, poking his head back into the tunnel while she was still half-way through. She heard hoarse whispers and what could be an argument. Then his head reappeared.

"Come on through," he said and she hurriedly crawled the rest of the way. She exited into a small almost tee-pee like structure. From the flashlight she could tell three large hunks of the ceiling fell centered around the area and were supporting each other, then the spaces between filled up with smaller debris. Luckily there was a hole at the top where the real darkening sky was visible, oxygen wasn't a problem. It was a roughly circular floor about six feet in diameter, seven feet high.

"Now," said a voice that was eerily adult but belonged to young male yet to pass through puberty, "Butler, my bodyguard, has informed me that you are an unknown." The silence was a clear indicator of my confusion. He sighed in a condescending manner and explained.

"We know nothing about you; for all we know you could be the person who designed this disaster. Or an assassin sent to kill me or my mother."

"What?" she sputtered. "That's ridiculous!"

"Do you know who I am?"

"No, I'm an American who doesn't even bother to keep track of celebrities in my country, sorry I can't recognize Irish ones too," she snappily replied.

"I am not a mere celebrity," he said, sneering out the last word.

"Well your ego is saying differently."

"I am Artemis Fowl the Second, heir to a vast and monopolized criminal enterprise. Does that ring any bells?"

"Now that you mention it...no."

"Very well. Will you consent to a search?"

"To a what?"

"My, the depth of your naivety shows more clearly with each passing moment." She glared, though the dim light emitted from the flashlight failed to show it. "A pat down, essentially." She could have sworn the temperature in the artificial cave skyrocketed.

"In all honesty I'd rather not."

"Your other option is to remain unconscious until this ordeal is over."

"How would you manage to do that to me?" She questioned, crossing her arms defensively.

"Simply. Butler is trained in many areas of combat and one has to do with nerve clusters, far too complex to divulge into details, especially for one with an intelligence such as yourself, but suffice to say that he could successfully render you unconscious for an indefinite period."

"I'll take the search," she grit out between clenched teeth, displeased that for the third time in as many minutes her intelligence was being questioned.

"Very well, Butler," he said, ordering him to proceeded. Feeling grateful for the dim light that hid his blush, Butler brushed his hands over her delicate body, searching for any hidden weapons he was almost positive would not be there. She adverted her eyes and shivered unintentionally when his massive hands touched her inner thighs. Just when she was certain the search was complete, there was an increased darkness at the corners of her vision which quickly spread inward until unconsciousness took over.

"And?" Artemis questioned.

"She checks out, but..."

"But?" he asked curious what his manservant failed to say.

"She could easily be hiding a weapon in her *ahem* cleavage." Artemis shuffled over to where Butler kneeled over the stranger's unconscious body. It would be quite a vast area to go unsearched.

"And so you must check it."

"Artemis..." it was almost a plead.

"It's not like you haven't seen a woman's chest before,' he said, dismissing the issue.

"It's a severe invasion of her privacy!" Artemis rolled his eyes.

"Like nothing else was. Just do it."

"On those grounds we should put a scope up her arse and...in between her legs."

"Yes, actually, we should, and as my body guard you should be eliminating all possibilities that there is an enemy in this girl. Unfortunately, we do not have the equipment for that.."

"Look, she doesn't have an athletic built. She's not fat, but she doesn't have the sinewy muscle one would find on a trained assassin."

"Butler, I understand that you are a man of honor, but I fail to see how that is taking over the responsibility you have to me, your principle. That has always come first to you, have I done something to upset you?"

"No, nothing like that. It's just she is so innocent, i just don't think it's necessary." He paused. In truth, it was that, but also he was afraid if he began to touch her there, he would have detectible difficulty stopping. "But you're right, your safety comes first." With that he laid both his hands on her breasts, pushed down to insure their authenticity, and spread them, running his thumb down the deep and long split. Reluctantly, he pulled the top of her navy blue dress back up and walked away, facing the tunnel he made. Mrs. Fowl choose that moment to speak, making them both start. Artemis more visibly than Butler.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes, Mrs. Fowl, she checks out." Angeline's red and black dress rustled as she slithered over to the girl. She took the flashlight and shone it on the stranger's features. Giving a slight gasp, she ran her free hand over her own detraining facial features.

"Pretty," she murmured and backed away. About thirty minutes later, in which Artemis contacted the police, one more confirming call, emergency sirens were heard, and the procedure of freeing those trapped and alive very slowly began, she finally began stirring. With a slight incoherent mumble, she opened her eyes, and once she regained her bearings, she was furious.

"So, in exactly what part of the search did i fail?"

"I beg your pardon?" Artemis asked, honestly confused.

"Your bodyguard knocked me out, so what in what aspect was i considered dangerous?" Artemis arched an eyebrow.

"Firstly, he did not 'knock you out, it was a pinch to a nerve clust-"

"Whatever. Answer the question.

"You made an interesting deduction, however incorrect. Had you been dangerous, you would not have regained consciousness until we were long separated."

"How comforting. Then why was I 'pinched' unconscious?" Butler coughed to conceal a laugh.

"In order for us to assess in private whether or not you posed a threat." She crossed her arms and glared, displeased being talked about in secret. Mrs. Fowl chose that moment to interrupt a potentially dangerous situation.

"What is your name?" she asked in a ghostly whisper.

"Nadalia. Nadalia Dilliane," she answered.

"I'm Angeline, this is my son, Arty, he's twelve. And this is his body guard, Butler," she said, extending a frail hand.

"Mom!" he scolded. "Don't use my nickname," he exclaimed. Nadalia hid a grin behind her hand.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, curious where this new stranger appeared from.

"So you're American?" she asked.

"Yes, I am, but don't hold that against me," Nadalia replied, grinning.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Mrs. Fowl said, her pervious spirit coming back exceptionally quickly. Unseen by the two chatting women, Butler and Artemis exchanged a glance. They were both unboundly curious as to what brought Mrs. Fowl back from her internal withdrawal. Artemis cleared his throat pointedly, interrupting the conversation before Mrs. Fowl could disclose the sudden vast amount of gold the Fowls had recently acquired.

"Butler, as you are the expert in survival and safety, do you have any suggestions for us?" It was a weak interruption and he knew it, but it was better than a stranger knowing coveted information.

"There is not much now that we are at this stage. We have a clear supply of oxygen," he said pointing upwards at the dark sky punctuated by the red and blue flashes of sirens, "And the rescuers are here. Now all we can do is wait for them to approach and signal their help."

"How much time do you expect to pass before they begin working in our area?" he questioned.

"Depends on how good they are and how many people survived. From the size of the theatre," he paused estimating, "could be anywhere from three days to three weeks."

"Three WEEKS," Nadalia exclaimed before she could stop herself.

"That's just a top end estimate," he explained calmly.

"But that means it's POSSible?" He shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, yes."

"Great! Three weeks out of my summer vacation spent in a collapsed theater."'

"Typical American teenager. Only concerned about herself," Artemis loudly sighed.

"Artemis!" Mrs. Fowl scolded, appalled at the behavior of her son.

"Oh, no, Artemis, tell me how you really feel," Nadalia told him calmly, her anger at his premature judgment well buried. He was confused for a moment before her sarcasm registered. He was shocked he hadn't picked up on it immediately.

"How original," he snottily replied before turning his back. She glared for a moment at his turned figure before moving on.

"So, Angeline, where's the best place to get sushi around here? My family and I have a tradition of eating it once in every foreign country we visit."

"I'd say that isn't likely," Artemis interrupted before his mother could begin her tirade of recommended restaurants.

"Why not? Not a fan of Irish sushi?"

"No, it's more because where your seats were and how the architecture and structure of the theatre is built makes it highly likely anyone in the front area was either crushed or suffocated to death." Her eyes bulged and mouth dropped open. Mrs. Fowl was applaud at her son and was opening her mouth to lecture him. Butler was confused; even for Artemis that was cold and tactless. There was silence for half a second, which seemed much longer than it was for those experiencing it. Then Nadalia lunged across the open space and tried fruitlessly to strangle the boy.

Fruitlessly only because Butler immediately lifted her up, trapping her in his thick, muscular arms.

"You little bitch, Artemis! How dare you say that!" The adolescent male gave a small eye roll and then projected his voice so that Butler was sure to hear him over the ruckus Nadalia was making, yelling curses at Artemis and screaming for Butler to put her down, "Sedate her, Butler." There was a flicker of uncertainty in butler's eyes and he hesitated. Seeing this, the master added a heavy 'now,' to which the manservant quickly responded, sensing that his master was displeased with his behavior. She almost instantly went limp once he applied a steady pressure to the nerve cluster in the back of her neck.

Taking extra care, he softly put her down. "You see, she is an assassin. I can't believe you didn't notice, you should be ashamed," Artemis addressed his body guard.

"Honestly, Artemis? She's not an assassin. A professional wouldn't have tried to choke you. And you would be dead."

"Oh," was all the young boy replied, realizing his remark was a tad assumptive.

"You shouldn't have said that, Artemis," Butler reprimanded him, his voice a quiet rumble.

"I'm glad i did. It is important to know if someone you're sharing a man-made cave with is emotionally unstable or not. Or murderous, in this case." Butler sighed. While Artemis WAS a genius, when it came to emotions, and most specifically those of women, he was a tad...idiotic.

"What you failed to factor in, however, is that she no doubt had been thinking that once she was safe herself."

"Doubtful. I would be amazed if she successfully had a thought that intricate for an extended period of ti-" "You're missing the point, Artemis. She's obviously going to be worried about them. You throwing it in her face wasn't a good move." He actually took time to consider that.

"Fascinating. I do believe you have made a valid point, my friend," Artemis conceded. Inwardly, Domovio sighed. One day someone was going to come along who could take this kid down a few notches. When they did, he suspected it would not be pretty. "Mother," he started, about to apologize for his rude behavior stopped when he realized that his mother had withdrawn again. Most likely it was the violent commotion that had caused it. He could only hope desperately that his gaffe would not lead to her permanent distance. As soon as she regained consciousness, he promised himself, he would apologize and hopefully that would help his mother.

Finally she began to stir. "Nadalia," he began softly, her name calling her out of her remaining drowsiness. "What?" she barked, bitter and mad.

"I wanted to apologize for my tasteless comment. It was insensitive and rude. I assure you i will do no similar thing in the future. Do you forgive my idiocy?" Was this really happening? Artemis Fowl the II calling himself and idiot? she thought incredulous. Even though she hated his being and she had no forgiveness for him in her heart, she had to admit that his apology seemed sincere, though it easily could have been forced, and that he WOULD make a formidable opponent once outside the confines of the cave. And there was that massively built bodyguard.

She forced a smile. "You are forgiven."


	2. Chapter 2

Mrs. Fowl was talking about her husband and how he'd come back soon. Nadalia was listening with curiosity, her romantic side close to tears, her cynical one scornful at the woman's hope as she suspected Mr. Fowl had run off with a Russian hottie, though kept these thoughts private. In a corner, sitting close together Butler and Artemis exchanged a glance every few sentences the older woman said as she continuously hinted at family secrets without realizing, so happy to have found someone to discuss her pain and worry with.

Both men were impressed with how aptly the newcomer listened and how she seemed genuinely concerned, and interested, though that was worrisome to Artemis. Eventually the sad story came to an end. Angeline had started at the beginning, all the way back to how they had met and their convoluted courtship. There was a friendly silence in which Nadalia realized how late it was, using the black shade of the sky as reference. Yet not wanting to be the only asleep, she decided to suggest a game.

"Any one want to play a game?"

"That would depend," Artemis quickly replied. "What does it involve?"

"We each hold up ten fingers and go around a circle saying things we have never done and if you say something that someone else has done, they put a finger down. The goal is to be the last person with fingers up, so you try to get as many people down as you can with each questions."

"Very well, I will try this with you, anyone else interested?" The others nodded and moved in closer so the sat around the upturned flashlight, casting deep shadows on everyone's faces.

"I'll start," Nadalia stated. "I have never...permanently resided in Ireland."

"That was low," Butler cheerily told her while putting a finger down with two others around the circle. She grinned at him. "I know, sorry." Going counterclockwise, Mrs. Fowl went next. "I have never eaten sushi in America." Both Butler and Nadalia took away a finger. Artemis was next. "I have never been thirteen." Nadalia didn't put a finger down. They all looked to her, waiting.

"Prove that I'm not twelve," she dared them.

"You're not," Butler stated firmly, made a pointed glance to her chest and reached a hand out and pushed a finger down. She blushed even at his platonic touch but laughed happily. "Very well, i won't lie." It was Butler's turn to say a never. He took a long while. Artemis suddenly realized why.

"I think you'll have difficulty with this game, friend, as there is very little you have yet to do." Butler gave a smile. "Exactly. Well, I have never been a girl." Mrs. Fowl and Nadalia booed.

"I have never been involved in criminal enterprises." Both males immediately put a finger down. Angeline hesitated, but all Artemis had to say was, "Mother", reminding her of the times she had been and unsuspecting partner in her husband's work and she shrugged, taking a finger away.

"In order to get revenge on my dear servant, Butler, I have never been a boy." The two who lost a finger groaned.

"I have never received nor given flowers," Artemis stated. Nadalia didn't put one down at first. Then guilt won out and she did. "It's so tempting to lie playing with you all because you can't prove that I am, but i won't," she promised. Butler had been thinking of his ahead of time.

"I have never considered pursuing a career other than body guarding." Three fingers went down.

"I have never been to opera where the ceiling didn't collapse." The adults laughed and even Artemis cracked a smile. Nadalia would admit that made her proud.

"Did you just assume we'd all been to an opera before?" Artemis asked.

"Yes, just like you assumed we'd all either received or sent flowers before."

"I'm surprised you didn't just decide I was stalking you," Artemis said, unable to resist another insult. "I'm surprised you didn't realize I have higher reasoning skills than that," she mocked. Mrs. Fowl quickly continued her turn before their exchange had the opportunity to turn nastier.

"I have never been set on a single career." Angeline was surprised when they all put a finger down. "You too?" she ask the girl she was beginning to think of as a daughter.

"Yep, ever since fourth grade."

"What do you want to pursue?" Butler asked, curious what career could entice and keep the interest of a child so young.

"A prosecutor," she answered, looking straight at the active criminal in the group. He gave a wolfish grin. "I'll remember your name then, in case we should meet again some day."

"I can assure you I'll do the same," she replied, a delicate yet meaningless threat.

"I have never had a sister," Artemis continued deducting a finger from them all.

"Now that was you stalking me," Nadalia joked. He shrugged.

"I recalled there was four in your party and she was either your sister or cousin, so I took a gamble." Nadalia made an expression of acceptance. She was surprised Butler had a sister, though she wasn't sure why. Perhaps because he didn't seem the familial type.

"I have never grown up in the age of technology." The two of the younger generation put down their fingers.

"I have never parachuted," she said, unknowingly knocking Butler out and leaving Mrs. Fowl with one left. "Sorry, it's just that I don't know much about you, but I do know you parachuted on your honeymoon," she said, referencing the love story Mrs. Fowl told her earlier.

"I have never walked into a school within the past year," Mrs. Fowl said, putting her son at an awkward position. He could either lie and put a finger down or be honest and keep it up, admitting to his mother his exploitation of her illness. Butler watched with interest what his charge would do. Slowly he lowered it.

"I have never bought high heels," he said looking at Nadalia's hands. She made the noise of a buzzer. "Incorrect, though i appreciate the guess," she told the disappointed boy.

"I have never..." she trailed off looking at his hands, the two fingers up compared to her solitary one, knowing she had to say something he had done. Then she saw the gleam of his fingernails and grinned. "I have never gotten a manicure." She looked up into his shocked eyes. He was sputtering while leaving himself with one finger.

"Arty!" Mrs. Fowl nearly yelled. Butler forced himself to keep a straight face, he, the only one who had actually know about the monthly appointments had not revealed his principle's guiltily pleasure to his mother, but a stranger who had met the boy only a few hours ago.

"I told you those things can give you diseases!"

"I know, mother, but they make me look so much more professional," he whined, something Artemis Fowl the II rarely allowed himself to do. While they continued their family scene, Butler leaned over and whispered to her. "How did you know?"

"I saw the gleam from the flashlight," she told him, turning to face his dark, piercing blue eyes that set her heart fluttering. He chuckled as the argument was being wrapped up.

"Anyways," the boy said, cheeks slightly flushed at his new enemy's knowledge of his secret, "I have never lived in the United States. There, I win," he said bitterly. She shrugged.

"All that means is you're the most inexperienced," she countered sweetly. In a move extraordinarily unArtemis-like his eyes bulged and his mouth opened, but no words lashed out. He blinked a few times and then shut his mouth.

"That game was harder than I expected it to be," Mrs. Fowl said, erasing the silence.

"Yah, it's pretty difficult if you don't know the people very well, but I think it's more fun that way because if forces you to be creative." The adults nodded but Artemis angrily turned away."I know about a whole other race of people," he muttered. "How's that for inexperienced," he grumbled, only his bodyguard discerning the words, luckily.

Mrs. Fowl yawned expressively and glanced at her stopped watch. "As fun as this has been, I would like to sleep, and I can understand if others don't want to sleep yet, but I would appreciate if we could keep the volume down."

"I agree, i just need about 15 minutes of silence, and then people can talk again," Nadalia suggested. Butler and Artemis agreed to say quiet for that long and Mrs. Fowl fell asleep almost instantly from the taxing day she had compared to the previous ones she had the past year. Nadalia took almost the fifteen minutes but due to the terrifying day she experienced the exhaustion caught up quickly with her.

"Are you all asleep?" Butler asked into the cool air. There was no response.

"I think that is a strong yes," Artemis told him, his voice sounding especially cold in the dark.

"I thought you were also asleep," he told him, the hair on the back of his neck still raised by the surprise anyone responded.

"No, I decided not to. I needed to speak with you about my mother. And Nadalia's affect on her." For a heart stopping moment Butler thought Artemis was going to speak solely about the captivating women asleep near them, but relaxed when the sentence was completed and there was a purpose to the discussion other than Artemis' dislike or potential crush.

"It seems my mother has been snapped out of her depression, yet I don't believe that occurred from the accident, my hypothesis is that Nadalia has affected her positively in some way. Whatever this afect may be, should she leave, I suspect the effect will fade and my mother will return to her previous state. That...is not something I would like." The young boy finished and his bodyguard felt a stab of pity for him.

"So what are you thinking?" he asked the mastermind, worried he may have concocted some devious plan that would involve illegally forcing the girl to stay with them. "Kidnap?" he questioned

"No," then he hesitated, thinking. "No, of course not, nothing so barbaric." He bodyguard raised his eyebrows, remembering the events of three months ago. Artemis ignored this and continued.

"I was considering asking her to stay with us, at least until her relatives are discovered, either dead or alive. Where else would she have to stay, the logical person would see it was the correct choice. From a security standpoint, do you find that acceptable?"

"Yes, I believe you would be safe in her presence. Are you sure you could manage to tolerate her company?" He waited a while for a response.

"Knowing it was helping my mother, yes, most defiantly. In fact, I may grow to enjoy it. We shall see."

"You should sleep now," his father figure told him.

"So should you," relied the boy. Butler shrugged.

"It is my job to keep watch."

"From whom? If I recall correctly, as I should as the conversation I am making reference to occurred only moments ago, you stated you trusted her."

"I do, I'm watching against outside threats. I'll sleep in the morning," he promised and the young boy fell slowly drifted to sleep.

***sorry this chapter is kinda boring, I'll admit most of it is filler and self indulgent, but i needed time to pass but for them to develop bonds and get to know each other. Please forgive me and continue reading, I promise there will be more action soon!***


	3. Chapter 3

"Butler," Artemis hissed, irritated with his bodyguard. Obviously, sometime during the night, he had realized how lacking he had been in his duties and was deciding to make up for it now by insisting on keeping watch the rest of the time they were in the rubble. "You are being ridiculously illogical," Artemis explained.

"How so?" He asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Think it through. If you kept watch all night after a taxing day, then the next day stay awake through it, and then keep watch the impeding night, the quality of your vigil will degrade with every consecutive hour alert. Eventually, you would be easily taken out. Instead, sleep now, with dawn approaching and the chances of an unlikely attack slimmer, and be rested for tonight. Honestly, it is elementary logic." Butler shrugged.

"I agree your argument makes sense, but I am still reluctant to abandon my duties."

"You did not seem to find issue with that yesterday." But he knew this was a slap and felt a tingle of remorse. He sighed. "Sleep knowing you will do your duty better tonight because of it." The older man sighed.

"Very well, Artemis, you win." The boy smiled for an instant before replacing his mask. "Just yell if anything goes wrong." He nodded and Butler used the procedures taught to him by his sensei to sleep well but lightly enough to be awoken by even a yelp.

"Good morning," Nadalia's voice said, husky with her morning grogginess after giving Butler a reasonable opportunity to fall asleep. Artemis hid his surprise well.

"Good morning," he replied smoothly, stroking his wrinkled tie down into his suit jacket. She scooted closer to him in order to speak softer.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked out of politeness.

"Decently, considering," she said back, gesturing around the cubby.

"Did we wake you?"

"Yes, I think so, but it's fine." The silence begins to increase. Nadalia, feeling awkward blurts out something to fill the void. "Dawn is my favorite time of day, if I'm ever up for it." He gave her a strange sideways glance.

"You mention this why?" She shrugged, too embarrassed to admit she doesn't like silence. The dreaded lack of conversation began again until Artemis responded to her original statement. "It is my favorite as well." She gave him a small smile.

"Artemis," she begins softly, "perhaps we got off to a bad start yesterday, I'm sorry, usually I'm not so moody or rude, I was just scared and worried." She nervously waited for his response. Although part of him wanted to see their rivalry through to the end, with his triumph, for the sake for his sickly mother he decided cooperation was the best choice.

"I think you are correct about our first day together. It would be nice to state that I am usually not so abrasive, but that is untrue, and therefore would be a waste of both of our time, but, I will admit that a large part of the tension between us was caused by myself." Seeing as they were working on getting along, Nadalia repressed her urge to interrupt him and correct his statement to 'all' the tension.

"Thank you for saying that," she cordially responded. He nodded. Silence.

"There happens to be a matter I wish to discuss with you, Nadalia."

"Then by all means proceed." He took in a heavy breath, as if to collect himself for what needed to be said.

"I don't know if you noticed this, but my mother is not well."

"What do you mean? She seemed fine to me." He attempted to suppress an eye roll but was unable.

"Hers is a mental aliment. She has severe depression and has ever since my father's disappearance. For the past year she has lived only in the past, being aloof, going even to extreme memory loss, mood swings between fatigue and rage, confusion, hallucinations." Her heart felt for this family that had gone through so much but hid it so well, especially Artemis. "Interestingly, since meeting you she seems to have been drawn out of it." She pondered this.

"Probably from the trauma from the opera house collapsing or she and you being in danger, her instincts kicked in to protect you and her," she offers.

"Interesting theories, but I assure you that is not how the mind nor my mother operates. Besides, the change occurred when she met you, not when she or myself were in danger." She bit her lip while thinking of other possibilities.

"I think you're seeing a connection where none exists," she suggests.

"Perhaps, but the timing was unbelievably specific."

"It's undeniably odd, that's certain."

"Precisely my thoughts."

"So what are your theories, boy genius?" she quires.

"Nothing worth mentioning, I am still working it through in my head, and will need to concur with an official expert before making such a conclusion."

"You've made me very curious, so I think you should tell me anyways."

"In this early stage, I do not believe that would be wise, but in due time I will. The main reason I am discussing this with you is that I am...concerned what her state will return to once you are gone. Assuming we leave this alive, we shall separate. I worry that the separation, at this premature state of her recovery, could be irreversibly traumatic."

"That is concerning, however, I see no alternative."

"Most likely, our area of the theatre will be excavated first, therefore the number of days until the rest of your family is rescued is completely unknown." She was glad he didn't mention the chance they were dead. At first thought he was changing the topic but the saw the true direction.

"Yes, that's right."

"Where would you stay until then? A hotel? How would you pay for it?"

"A hotel is certainly not possible, but I'm sure there will be areas for people to stay."

"Which will be the highest quality, most entertaining, sanitary, and safest place to stay," his voice heavy with sarcasm. Admittedly, he had her at quality but safe sealed the deal.

"There are hostiles around here, correct? Those are cheap, and safe," she mentioned, hesitating a little at the last word. He scoffed.

"Not very, especially for lone, young women." She bit her lip at his implication. "And what if you ran out of money? And do you have sheets on your person?" He didn't need to wait for her response. "Do you have any family or friends in the area?" He hoped the answer was no. She shook her head, the gradually deflating bedhead curls brushing her face which Artemis berated himself for noticing.

"Yes, it's quite the dilemma, thank you for spelling it out."

"Luckily for you, I spy a solution." Inwardly, Artemis prepared himself, this would be the first time he invited a girl to his house. "What if you stayed with us? For my mothers sake," he quickly added. She opened her mouth to reject the idea but saw the reason before the words came.

"Your offer is logical, I will consider it, thank you." she was floored by his generosity and tried to conceal it but the wonderment showed in her voice. He was willing to invite a stranger, who had begun as his enemy, into his home. Sure, it was to help his mother, but it was clear that she had no other options, he easily could have left her to fend for herself. She smiled at him to express her gratitude.


End file.
